The Enterprise Is Exploration into God

By By Eileen Dooling, RSM, Executive Director

Posted on 2/28/2018

The news of the Parkland, Florida, shooting stunned me and has left me somewhat speechless. How could this happen again in our “civilized” society? In our schools? So many young people! And teachers and staff. So much loss. So much hurt.

Since that day, I have been impressed and deeply moved by the commitment and cogent words, the poise, presence and pain of the young people who have taken to the streets and to the halls of governmental power. They are on the march and we adults had better stand up or step aside.

I admire these young people. They are letting us know that they are not satisfied with the situation we created — or at least have allowed to persist — and now pass on to them. They are not intimidated by authority, and they do not hesitate to speak their mind: face to face, heart to heart, human being to human being.

Their time is now.

We need them. And we need to walk beside them. They have survived horror and have not allowed the evil of the day to consume them. They seek a positive way forward, and they know their influence and the potential they carry within themselves.

I am reminded of a quote from Christopher Fry’s play A Sleep of Prisoners:

Thank God our time is now
When wrong comes up to face us everywhere
Never to leave us till we take
The longest stride of soul we ever took.
Affairs are now soul size.
The enterprise is exploration into God.

Yes, their time — and ours — is now. Wrong confronts us everywhere and affairs are soul size.

But do not lose heart. The young people are here and are leading us.

There is hope!